The Cartographers’ Guild is a forum created by and for map makers and aficionados, a place where every aspect of cartography can be admired, examined, learned, and discussed. Our membership consists of professional designers and artists, hobbyists, and amateurs—all are welcome to join and participate in the quest for cartographic skill and knowledge.

Although we specialize in maps of fictional realms, as commonly used in both novels and games (both tabletop and role-playing), many Guild members are also proficient in historical and contemporary maps. Likewise, we specialize in computer-assisted cartography (such as with GIMP, Adobe apps, Campaign Cartographer, Dundjinni, etc.), although many members here also have interest in maps drafted by hand.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ. You will have to register before you can post or view full size images in the forums.

Kingdom of Gorian - WIP

Yet another run-through with Ascension's tutorial, this time concentrating on a single kingdom (not from the same world as the Pathania map - this one may actually be used for something... ).

Again, I changed a couple of things to suit my own tastes - got rid of most of the sea shelfing, fiddled with the rivers (added a slight blur), and put in a solid black stroke around the landmasses instead of a lighter gray. Mainly just cosmetic tinkering. I think I'm going to try Ascension's method of border-making this go round though, see how it looks.

Well, I just wasn't feeling Ascension's borders, so I ended up doing an inner/outer glow thingy (and not in red this time ). The slightly thicker borders are national boundaries; the thinner inner ones are ducal borders.

Thanks for the input, Alfar. Basically, I got to thinking the sea-shelfing effect made this map look too busy, too crowded, so I got rid of 90% of it, and just left a hint on the shorelines. As far as the darkness/clouds, yeah, I'm kind of not digging that either, but I'm at a loss as to how to lighten up the darker patches at this point. All I can tell you is this is really mountainous terrain. The only part that is really, REALLY bugging me and that I might have to go back in and redo is that area in the north of Marcovy - there's a patch there that has a kind of rainbow-effect that looks... off.

I'd assume you've made everything in separate layers, so maybe it's just a matter of adjusting opacity and/or blend mode?

I guess about the shores, I was looking for a sloping out towards the sea. The mountain to sea transition looks like it's a clean cut.

Edit: Again, this may be the lighting that confuses me.

Edit2: I just saw another map based on Ascension's tute. I think the problem is the heavy stroke on the coast line. The Pathania map uses a much weaker stroke, and while it still has a bit of a cut-off effect, it doesn't hit me as hard as yours does.

Okee dokee, here's another stab at it. I've lightened the stroke around the coastlines considerably. Also put in some marshlands and forests*, as well as 'national level' text and text for mountains, etc., and some city and town icons I've had sitting in my hard drive for god knows how long - finally found a use for them.

Let me know what you think of it now - all comments, critiques, suggestions welcome.

*With the forests, I tried to use them as a tool to not only better define the mountains, but to cover up a lot of those annoying black patches.

That does help a lot. Now it's only a few places that seem cut off. The northwestern mountains (am I the only one who sees King Kong in there?), right at the top of the map, and the east coast of the Duchy of Osmarden, where the shadows seem to imply a hill top right on the shore. Again, though, I may be confused by the lighting - where is it supposed to come from? Top left? Straight top?

I think the forests are a great help too. Maybe you'll want to add a slight bump mapping on them to show them following the slope of the land, as they do look a bit flat. (I know, there's no pleasing the critics )

I think... I'm gonna scrap this map. It's just not coming together the way I'd hoped it would. I think what I need to do is restart it in a different style; this one seems more suited for large areas, like continents.